Tips: Roadside Birding

When people signup for Christmas Bird Counts, they often focus so heavily on the forest preserves that they end up missing a prime area to find birds: the roadsides.

Driving slowly through the country can yield some incredible birds, some of which are only going to be in the farmland, not in the preserves. Things like Rough-legged Hawks, Horned Larks, Lapland Longspurs, Snow Bunting, Common Grackle, and Snowy Owl. Spending time in this habitat not only gives you the opportunity of finding these birds, but it also gives better coverage on the circle; there is a reason why the compiler assigned multiple square miles but only one or two forest preserves.

Drive Slowly!
Flying along at 45-55 mph might be great for getting from point A to point B, but it's terrible for finding birds between those points. Whether you're driving from one count site to another or you want to spend some time on the roadsides, drive slow, think 15-20 mph and put your windows down.

Look for reasons to stop.
Are you passing over a creek? Stop. Get out of the car and listen. Kingfishers, snipes, chickadees and warblers will often hang out in places like this. Especially if it's below freezing but this creek still has water in it.
Are you driving along a hedgerow? Stop. Get out of the car and listen, chickadees, juncos, accipiters, and shrikes and finches like to take shelter in hedgerows.
White something way out in the field? Stop. Get the scope out, make sure it isn't Snow Goose, swans, or a Snowy Owl. Often it's a bucket but you never know.
A group of birds by the roadside? Stop. Check them out for sparrows, longspurs, buntings and juncos.
Feel like stopping? Do it. You are much more likely to find birds if you're not also concentrating on driving.

Watch for similar birds.
In some areas you can find multiple species but not notice right away. Stopping at grain silos is a good example: most of the doves will be Rock Pigeons and Mourning Doves, but keep and eye out for Eurasian Collared-Doves. Large group of House Sparrows? One time I found some House Sparrows that had half a dozen Eurasian Tree Sparrows in the group, one time there was a female Purple Finch in the mix, one time a Song Sparrow.

Areas like this where you're not dealing with a forest preserve that has a trail system require a little more imagination when you're trying to decide where to look for birds. But for me, that just makes it more interesting. Also remember: try to get out for some scouting prior to the count.

Posted on October 16, 2021 04:31 PM by neylon